Principal's News

Our theme for this year is 

STEP UP! BE MORE!

Welcome Back!

It was wonderful to be able to welcome some of the children back to onsite learning last week and we look forward to having them all back onsite at different times this week.

As announced on Sunday 24th October, all children will be back onsite full time from Wednesday 3rd November. Please see below for the schedule outlining which classes are at school on which days.

School Surveys:

All families should have received an email from us, asking you to fill in a survey from Orima research, about our school. We will be undergoing review in 2022 and very much rely on the feedback from our surveys to design our next 4 year plan. So please, please, please, grab a glass of wine or a cuppa and take a "15 minute time out" of your busy day to give us your feedback - it would be greatly appreciated. THANK-YOU!

Schedule for onsite classes:

Week beginning Monday 25th October:

Prep children to attend school Monday, Tuesday and Thursday

All Year 1/2 children to attend school Monday and Tuesday

Year 3/4 children to attend school Monday and Tuesday

Year 5/6 children to attend school Wednesday and Thursday

Week beginning Monday 1st November:

Monday 1st November - School Closure Day

Tuesday 2nd November - Melbourne Cup Day

Wednesday 3rd November -  Prep - 6 - everyone back to school (all onsite)

Thursday 4th November -  Prep - 6 - everyone back to school (all onsite)

Friday 5th November -  Prep - 6 - everyone back to school (all onsite)

All children will be back onsite every day, full time from Wednesday 3rd November.

Uniform Update:

We have decided to make a slight alteration to our uniform rules for the remainder of the the 2021 school year. We are aware that some children may well have grown out of their school shoes or other items of school/sports uniform without having hardly worn them. Rather than asking you to buy new things now, we have decided on a compromise. From now until the end of the 2021 school year the children will be able to wear either their school uniform or their sports uniform any day of the week. Whatever uniform the children choose to wear must be worn correctly - i.e. if choosing to wear the summer dress or school shorts and polo then school shoes must be worn, if wearing the sports shorts and sports polo then runners would be worn. School sox must be white with both the school uniform and the sports uniform (No other colours are permitted - despite children's preferences). Obviously we still need the children to wear their sports uniform on the days they have sport. 

If we find children abuse this rule and start to mix and match uniforms or wear items that are not part of our uniform then we will have to rethink this decision. Please support your child to wear the correct uniform - whether it be sports or school uniform. If everyone does the right thing, then we will be able to continue this way until the end of the year.

School hats will still be compulsory outdoors - NO OTHER HATS CAN BE WORN.

We have a no hat no play policy in Term 1 and 4, which will be enforced from Wednesday 3rd November.

Once the 2022 school year begins, and all children have school shoes and uniforms that fit them comfortably again, we will go back to only wearing sports uniform and runners on the days the children actually have a PE/Sport lessons.

We hope this helps a little and means you do not need to go out and buy new shoes or replace items of uniform that have become too small. We do however, have a second hand uniform shop that parents are welcome to purchase required items from if needed. See Robyn in the office.

World Teachers' Day:

On Friday 29th October, Australia celebrates World Teachers' Day. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff of St Kevin's school for being the amazing people that they are. Nothing is ever too much trouble, they are happy to go above and beyond to make sure our children are supported and feel part of the St Kevin's community - just as they do for each other. When we worked with the MACS regional leadership consultant (Jackie) last week, to begin to set the criteria that will become the advertisement for our new principal, she commented to me that there was something very special about the staff at our school. Her words were "you need to bottle that - I certainly don't see that kind of camaraderie and culture every where I go". So thank-you to our staff - we all appreciate you and the great work you do every day with the wonderful children and families at St Kevin's.

Staff News:

We have two members of staff leaving us at the end of the year and we will be very sad to see them go. Julie Mullins will be leaving at the end of the year and will be taking up a management position in an aged care facility owned by a member of her family. Cassie Pal will also be leaving us and will be having a career change - moving into the construction industry. We will formally thank and farewell Julie and Cassie at the end of the year, but I would like to take the opportunity to thank each of them for the wonderful way they have worked and supported all of us here at St Kevin's. 

Julie's passion and belief in the children she teaches has been fantastic. She has always tried new ways of working and teaching to ensure that all the children in her care keep moving forward and become the best they can be. She never gives up on anyone.  As a staff member she is creative and fun and keeps us all thinking outside the box and we will miss her very much. 

Cassie's vibrance, enthusiasm and cheeky nature bring a ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air to St Kevin's. Nothing is too much trouble for Cassie and she has worked so hard to build relationships with all the children and their families, to let them know she is there for them, cares about them and will jump in and help them whenever needed. In fact she will jump in and help anyone, with anything, at anytime and has been a wonderful asset to our school. We will miss her dearly.

We have employed Taliah Postans to work as an LSO at St Kevin's next year. Taliah is currently working as a tutor with some of our year 3 - 6 children, as part of the government tutoring program, and is studying to be a primary school teacher. She will work with us 4 days a week next year. We will be employing another part time LSO for 2022 before the end of the year.

We have also employed Annie Fitzgerald, as a full time classroom teacher, to commence at St Kevin's in 2022. We congratulate Annie on her new appointment and look forward to welcoming her to St Kevin's next year. Annie will work with us at the end of the term to commence planning for next year and will be onsite for our orientation day on the 9th December, when all the children move to their 2022 classes.

Teachers have not been placed in their 2022 classes/roles at this stage. The class arrangements and staffing for 2022 will be communicated towards the end of the year when everything is finalised.

Squid Game

I am aware that some of our students may be watching Squid Game, a new series on Netflix, which is extremely violent. Please be aware that the level of violence is very intense, as characters are systematically tortured and killed for the sadistic pleasure of a game master. There are scenes of sexual intercourse and threats of sexual violence: women are grabbed by the hair and beaten. Themes concerning the highs one gets from gambling, winning or conning money are a main focus. 

I highly recommend that you do not allow your children to watch this MA15+ series.

Calendar changes:

All of our calendar dates for term 4 are on hold at the moment. We will do our very best to reschedule events we have missed. We will definitely make a time to get the year 3/4 billy cart event happening once the children are back at school. We will also get our sleepover in at some stage in the year! We are trying to get a camp for our 5/6 children in Victoria seeing as we have missed out on our Canberra trip. Stay posted for updates about the rescheduling of events (including our Bakers Delight Lunch), once we have some greater clarity about the current restrictions and when things will change.

Support:

If you are not feeling that great or feel you would like some help or support, the parish staff have put together the following directory:

Covid Reminders:

• Get vaccinated
• Please ensure you and your children stay home if unwell and get tested
• Regularly check the Covid exposure sites list on the Vic Gov website and follow the instructions listed
• Continue to practise good hand hygiene
• Please do not enter any of the school buildings/learning spaces except the school office.
• We encourage you to email or phone if you have inquiries/messages rather than come onsite.
• Please remember you must wear a mask and register using our QR code if you need to enter the school office.

2022 Enrolments:

If you are aware of anyone who has a child starting prep in 2022  please encourage them to contact us for an enrolment pack. If you have a child starting school in 2022 - feel free to access the enrolment form on our website or by accessing the link below. 

Kindest regards

Frances Matisi

Principal